Such kinds of cable or the like protection and guide devices usually include a cable drag chain, which accommodates cables, hoses or the like therein, and in which a plurality of link bodies each of which is formed by connecting the center portions of a pair of spaced and opposed link plates with connecting plates or rods are pivotably connected to each other with shafts and holes formed in overlapped portions of said link plates (see Patent Reference 1 for example).
Further, the above-mentioned cable or the like protection and guide devices include an energy guide chain, which guides a hose with a plurality of chain elements comprised of a side member and a crossbar, which are connected to each other between two connecting points at least one of which can be position-changed, and in which a relative pivotability between adjacent chains is restricted by a corresponding stopper portion disposed in a chain element having a contact surface (see Patent Reference 2 for example).
Patent Reference 1 is the Specification of Japanese Patent No. 2511211 (page 1, FIG. 1).
Patent Reference 2 is the Specification of Japanese Patent No. 3110766 (page 1, FIG. 1).
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
However, these cable drag chain or energy guide chain is liable to generate a warpage or a sink mark on a stopper's contact surface during molding. When such a warpage or a sink mark is generated, there is a problem that connected link plates make local surface contact with each other during the repeating of a linear mode and a flexion mode of the connected link plates so that limiting angle between their link plates becomes difficult to control. Further, when connected link plates are controlled to be a linear mode and a flexion mode in a uniform surface contact state, there is an antinomic problem that collision noise due to the surface contact is liable to occur and the rigidity of the stopper must be enhanced.
Accordingly, the objects of the present invention are to solve the above-mentioned problems and to provide a cable or the like protection and guide device, which can suppress collision noise generated when adjacent link plates repeat a linear mode and a flexion mode to attain low noise, and can exhibit excellent wear resistance.
Means for Solving the Problems
To attain the above-mentioned objects, a cable or the like protection and guide device of this invention according to claim 1 in which a large number of rectangular link frame bodies each comprising a pair of spaced right and left link plates, and connecting plates bridged over a flexion inner circumferential side and a flexion outer circumferential side of the pair of link plates respectively are flexibly connected to each other by connecting pins and connecting pin holes formed in said link plates and a cable is inserted into a cable accommodating space formed of the continuously formed link frame bodies to guide and protect said cable, is characterized in that a C-shaped flexion guide groove concentric with said connecting pin hole is provided on a plate side surface of said link plate and tapered V-shaped stopper surfaces are formed on end portions of said C-shaped flexion guide groove, a flexion guiding protrusion, which engages said C-shaped flexion guide groove, is provided on a plate side surface of another link plate connected to a connecting pin hole side of said link plate so that an arc-shaped contact surface is formed on a protrusion outer circumferential portion of the flexion guiding protrusion, and that said arc-shaped contact surface of said flexion guiding protrusion makes point contact with the V-shaped stopper surface of the C-shaped flexion guide groove so that flexible movement of adjacent link plates are restricted.
And in addition to the configuration of the invention according to claim 1, the invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that a plurality of V-shaped stopper surfaces are formed and a plurality of guide protrusions, which respectively engage said V-shaped stopper surfaces, are formed in a state where the end portions of said C-shaped flexion guide groove are branched to inner and outer circumferential sides.
Further, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to claim 1, the invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a soft roller member is fitted onto said flexion guiding protrusion.
Further, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to claim 1, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that it includes a braking area in which the groove width of said C-shaped flexion guide groove is narrowed toward the end portion. And, in addition to the configuration of the invention according to claim 3, the invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that it includes a braking area in which the groove width of said C-shaped flexion guide groove is narrowed toward the end portion.